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Local wildlife inspires stunning mural

Local wildlife inspires stunning mural
Canterbury-Bankstown’s diverse species of birdlife has inspired a Sydney artist commissioned to bring a local laneway to life.
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wildlife bankstown mural
wildlife bankstown mural

23/06/2017

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23/06/2017

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Canterbury-Bankstown’s diverse species of birdlife has inspired a Sydney artist commissioned to bring a local laneway to life.

Armed with brushes and aerosal paints, Thomas Jackson has produced a larger-than-life mural in the Marion Street pedestrian laneway.

“A lot of my work is based on local wildlife and researching the native birds of the area I’m working in,” Mr Jackson said.

“I wanted something that was visually striking, that people would recognise and interact with.

“I’ve already had people stop and tell me about their memories related to the birds.”

Mr Jackson chose to showcase a Kingfisher, Eastern Koel and Spotted Pardalote, three indigenous birds found in Canterbury-Bankstown.

“I think in general, doing any public artwork, is a great way to brighten up an area. What would you rather look at, a pretty grim laneway or a vibrant wall?

“Unlike an exhibition in a gallery, this wall will be around for a long time and people will be engaging with it for years, which is a pretty cool thing when you think about it.”

This isn’t the first time Mr Jackson has created a mural of this kind and magnitude. His work is also on public display in Portland, Oregon, and he will be starting a new project in New York next month.

Administrator, Richard Colley, said the final product was impressive and encouraged local residents to take a look.

“This is something we can all be proud of,” Mr Colley said.

“The beauty of our natural wildlife has been certainly been captured in the mural and is yet another interesting thing local residents and visitors alike can enjoy.

“This is the fourth mural to be commissioned by Council and created in the City in the last six months. It complements the Telstra Exchange mural at Revesby; the flying fish mural at Mary Mackillop Park, Canterbury; and the Bulldogs’ community safety mural outside Belmore Sports Ground. Another five are in the planning stage.”